Learning Management System: all you need to know

What is a Learning Management System?

An LMS, or Learning Management System, is software that offers a framework for the corporate learning process and can be filled with educational content. 

The core functionality of LMS includes: 

• Creating a structure for the learning course. 
• Managing courses and users.
• Tracking performance and assessing results. 
• Feedback collection. 
• Open learning where users study at their own pace. 
• Types of learning management systems

There are many types of LMSs out there, so let’s look at the main ones. 

First of all, you can divide such systems into two groups:

1. Open-source (i.e., free of charge and public)
2. Commercial (where you pay for using the software)

Open-source systems offer certain functionality, but they are not as robust as commercial ones. Many startups and SMBs use open-source LMS as a temporary solution or make it their own with additions and customisations to ensure the software matches their needs. Commercial alternatives, although more costly, provide a better user experience because they are less buggy and more stable than free software. 

Another way to group LMSs is by where they are installed:

1. On-site 
2. Cloud (SaaS)

If an LMS is installed on the company’s servers, then it is in-house. An LMS that you access by logging into a website is cloud-based and is also called software-as-a-service or SaaS. 

Each type, naturally, comes with its benefits and downsides. On-site LMS is usually more expensive, but many see it as a secure alternative to the cloud. Plus, it’s easier to customise an on-site LMS because there are fewer limitations from the vendor. Cloud SaaS, in turn, is often cheaper because companies pay monthly subscriptions instead of making a big one-off investment. With cloud LMS, you don’t need to worry about things like maintenance and upgrades because the vendor takes care of all of that. 

From the functional perspective, LMSs can be divided into systems designed for: 

• Onboarding
• Regular employee training
• Professional development 
• Compliance training 

But please keep in mind that most of the time, an LMS system would be able to accommodate all these functions under a single console. 

The benefits of building your own LMS 

A well-done LMS system can transform your business entirely. And no, we are not being dramatic. 

Learning about the company, its processes, the technology behind its product, and anything else that helps you do your job better influences your work experience quite like nothing else. The first thing that new employees see when they join the company is usually some kind of training. The way this training is organised influences the retention rate and the quality of the work that individuals will produce. 

Relying on third-party LMSs can be a temporary solution, but a custom system will always outdo ready-made products in the efficiency and value it provides. 

Here are the main benefits of building your own Learning Management System:

1. Perfect fit. It is fully tailored to your company’s needs. 
2. Cost reduction. Online learning through LMS is a very cost-effective alternative to in-person training. And in the new world of remote work – the ability to onboard and educate someone online becomes a necessity. 
3. Knowledge centralisation. Custom LMS can be a single point of all knowledge and education for the company because it is made to support all formats that the company requires. 
4. Flexibility. You can add, change, or remove blocks to the system on-demand, for example, if you introduce new formats, such as video guides. 
5. Better security. Knowledge and data are two critical things for any company. When working with external solutions, no matter how secure they are, there is always a risk of data leaks or data loss. With an in-house custom-developed LMS, you are in control of what happens to the data, where it is stored, and who has access to it. 
6. Standardisation of training. Having consistent onboarding and training is critical for all companies, especially large ones. Standardising learning is the best way to ensure everyone has full knowledge of the same topics and there are no errors or points missed.  
7. Continuous learning culture. Employees who continue to learn and evolve will bring the company to the next level. Those who don’t invest in learning will stagnate and, at some point, become irrelevant in the modern world. 

Build a powerful LMS with Emphasoft 

A well-designed LMS will make your company stronger, more competitive, and prone to innovations. However, the LMS that you build needs to be robust in order to help you achieve all goals and targets. 

At Emphasoft, we develop LMS systems that are: 

• Flexible 
• Easy to integrate
• Gamify learning
• Personalised 
• Mobile-friendly 

Over the years, we’ve helped many clients across different industries create systems that encourage their employees to learn and grow together. If you’d like to build an LMS for your organisation, reach out to us and we will be happy to consult and guide you and develop the ideal learning system for you.

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